Saturday, August 27, 2011

Home Sweet Home!

I am happy to report that our trip home was very uneventful. From the train to Hong Kong to the last leg of our flights, Gracie was amazing! She was calmer than we thought she would be and never fussed about anything. She slept a couple of hours on our long flight and fell asleep on me as we were going through customs in Detroit. That girl is HEAVY!! Carrying her through customs and the Detroit airport was not easy and my arms are sore today from it!!

Giving Baba a kiss on the train.

Finding a new friend on the train.

Looking out at the plane that will bring her away from her home country and into a whole new world.

The last picture of just the 3 of us.

I am at a loss of words to describe just how happy I am to be home! Walking off that plane might be the happiest moment of my life! I can honestly say, I think my kiddos were just as happy to see us as we were them!

Finally together!

The girls were so cute. I was holding Gracie because she was very tired and cranky. Of course Wesleigh jumped straight into my arms too. I carried happily carried 65 lbs of sweet girls through the New Orleans airport :) They were intrigued with each other and even reached for the other's hand a few times. It was very sweet to see them together.

It didn't take Wesleigh long to start showing Gracie how great brothers are. Soon, they were both climbing all over all those sweet brothers. (These pics are awful. I put the camera in "auto" so I could had it off. I guess the good news is that I am now smarter than my camera :)

Cade dressed up for the occasion :) So cute!!

Gracie did much better in the carseat than Wesleigh did when she came home. Cade and Braden had them laughing the whole way home. Can you tell I'm tired in this picture? 24 hours of travel and 2 hours of head-b0bbing sleep. I'm also wondering how we're all going to fit in my big 'ole bus :) Every seat in my Suburban is filled and the seat I'm in is pretty tight :) Good thing I'm skinny right now :)

Gracie spent some time just soaking in everything. She was most excited when she saw the tub full of toys :) She opened every drawer and door. When she opened their closet door, she said "waaaaaa" which means "awesome". Wesleigh followed her around wondering what in the world she was doing. Wesleigh has continually looked at Gracie and then up at me and shrugged her shoulders. They are definitely trying to figure out their new lives :)

They were both hesitant to get in the tub with each other. Neither of them is used to sharing their lives with a sister. Once in the tub, they had fun, but Wesleigh is definitely feeling threatened.

I slept in the room with the girls, snuggled up to my sweet Wesleigh who I have missed greatly :) Gracie woke up at 4:30 and laid in bed with me until 5:30. It was evident that we weren't going back to sleep so we got up and the exploring began. She is in awe of everything. From the different bathroom choices, to where each door leads, to the noises of the ice maker, to the washing machine spinning. It is amazing to see things through her eyes for the first time.

Gracie is spending the morning checking out all the toys, and Wesleigh is spending the morning claiming all of her toys :) Actually, they are doing exactly what I expected. It will just take some time for everyone to adjust. I am so thankful the boys are not jetlagged. They are such a huge help!

My poor Bryce is so sick though! My mom had to take him to the dr. this week, who did not run a mono test before he put him on penicillin. We now know that when you put someone with mono on penicillin, they break out in a horrible body rash that makes you unbelievably miserable!! He has mono, strep and a rash over his entire body. He got a cortizone shot and is on another antibiotic and an oral steroid pack. He is pitiful, but so sweet :( It is slowly getting better.

Pray for me.....the energy this heavenly coffee is giving me right now is going to wear off eventually!!!

39 comments:

Oh I am so very happy to see your whole family together!! Gracie does not look much taller than Wesleigh, they really look like virtual twins:) I will be praying for you all, they are SO precious together!!

Welcome Home!!!!! So happy to see these pictures together!!! I love them all.. Of course the ones of TeaCup with her new sis are special.. But, that one of Cade holding her, and Gracie giving her big gorgeous smile to him, just shows how faithful our God is!!! Cade prayed her home is such a beautiful way!! What amazing boys you have!!! I know you are happy to be home, and I am thrilled we are all back safely now!! Take this time to find your "new normal!!" Congratulations!

Thanks for sharing your journey to Gracie and back home again with us! I have so enjoyed following your blog each day...can hardly wait until it's my Jennifer's turn to go for Little Miss Molly! Beautiful family...enjoy!!

What a sweet homecoming!! And what a sweet new family picture! I love that the girls were hesitant to get in the tub together, but I'm sure they are already finding they love their new "playmate" that they have in a sister!

How wonderful to be home and what a blessing to see you all together! Praying that your transition goes well and that your son gets well soon! Your children are precious! Thanks be to GOd for all He has done!

I am so thrilled for your family!!! I emailed you a few months ago after finding your blog-we came home 5 months ago and we were having ALOT of sleeping issues :). Happy to report that has improved! I haven't been on your blog lately and was so excited to see you were in china getting your precious girl! Do you mind me asking how old Gracie is? We are starting to think about going back and was curious about the program you went through to get precious Gracie :). BTW- our daughter is a spicy girl too! We were also in Changsha our first week. Olivia is from Hengyang City in the Hunan province.

So excited for you! Please email me if you have time. I know time is a precious thing right now :)

Welcome home!!! What a sweet reunion! Know your thrilled to be back in USA and home with your other kiddos!! The girls dresses look sooooooooo cute on them...:) please email a pic when you have recovered from jet lag.

Looking forward to following your blog on how the girls are doing! Rest and chat soon...:)

I forgot to say I am SO SO SO sorry for Bryce. My heart breaks for him. That STINKS! Kate had mono when she was 2 (right on the heels of strep). I had it in grad school. It really takes a while to get back to normal. I will pray for him a lot too. I am sure you know it is super contagious so keep him away from the littles.

Beautiful, just beautiful! I can't wait to watch your boys fall in love with their new little sister...from the looks of it...might be before the end of the day!!! ha haGod is so good to us! Gives us so much more than we deserve!Welcome home family of 7!!!!Norah

Welcome back to the USA! What a beautiful family! Thanks for keeping us updated (my favorites are "gotcha days" and "welcome home days")!! May God continue to bless you and your family. Seeing Wesleigh and Gracie together just made tears come to my eyes!! What a wonderful bond they will share as sisters. I can't imagine how full your heart is right now. (I so can't wait to get our Emy home!)

WELCOME HOME GUYS!!! hope the jet lag is short there is no time to be draggin with this big lot...I sympathize! Can't wait to watch these two beauties figure each other out! Praying for a smooth transition for all!!! CONGRATS!!!

I'm SO happy your family is back together!! Y'all look so perfect together! I know you missed your family and feel complete now that y'all are all together!

I LOVE how the girls were reaching for each other when you were holding them at the airport. That's only the beginning of a beautiful sister relationship! Once they adjust to life with a sister, they will be the BEST of friends!!

Jennifer, what a fabulous post! So glad you all made it safely home and I just love the picture of your entire family together for the first time. I also love the dresses that G and W have one-too cute! I hope Bryce feels better soon-poor guy!

Wow! What a precious family! So exciting to see! You only thought you had fun dressing Wesleigh....now there's two to dress!! Oh look out...Richard better get a second or third job!! Your boys are so precious....it's so sweet to see them with the girls! What a joy...I know that the adjusting will get crazy at times, but I can't wait to see God unfold the plan of your lives and the lives of these two precious girls! You guys are amazing! Those boys have no idea what has just hit their house....and then there were two!! I always say that two is better than one!! Love you! Tiffinie

I have been on the road all day running errands and could not wait to get back to my computer to see a new post. As usual, it did not disappoint!! Love the family pic and of the sisters together. Just priceless!! Cannot wait to hear more stories of how the transition is going. Will be praying for Bryce. Welcome Home Gracie!!

SPEECHLESS, absolutely speechless!!I could not be any prouder to call you my sweet friend. They are all beautiful -- all FIVE of them!! BTW that pic of Gracie in the airport looking at the plane that is taking her to her new world -- breathtaking!! I'll catch up with you when you get a chance to catch up!! Love you!, Fran

Yea!!! I'm so glad you are home!!I can't wait to talk! WHen you feel up to it give me a call. Did you get my email? I'm feeling great!I can't believe it! I hope the same goes for you. I love how Cade dressed up for the homecoming. What a sweetie. Actually, they all are!Hope Bryce gets to feeling better.Welcome home!So good to see you!

It is SO great to see your precious family together~ really nothing sweeter than to come home to arms full of love!!! I know it will take some time for the girls but they will fall in love and be the best of friends. Praying the jet lag away and hoping you all are in the swing quickly!!! Blessings and love!

So glad to see your post despite having JUST arrived home. The joy is evident in all of the pictures. Your boys are amazing and I'm sure Wesleigh won't take long to adjust. Thanks for taking the time to post. Love you!!!

I never get tired of seeing those magical first pics in the USA and with WHOLE family. You may look at them and say you look tired - but to everyone else all they see is pure happiness!! I look at our pics arriving home from kaz (after having spent germany to chicago laying on an airplane's floor....sicker than a dog) and think how horrible Iook - and to be fair I was pale- but to everyone else they just saw happiness after a LONG journey to our child. THank you for sharing your experiences. It is really priceless to those of us still waiting. I have so loved watching Wesleigh grow the last few years and now look forward to watching Gracie blossom....and the two sisters grow together.

Oh yay!!! I'm just now catching up on your homecoming post, and love'in EVERY word and EVERY photo!! It's SO fun seeing your whole family together at last... especially those sisters! But one of my favorites, was the one of Cade holding Gracie and smiling at her... SO frame-worthy!

Praying for continued rest for all of you, and for security for both of the girls, as they learn to share their world with one another and for you all in this transition back home into your new normal!

Sounds like church went well, too. Loved the girls photo shoot in the MJ's before church... just adorable! Such a beautiful family you have,Jen... you are truly, truly so blessed! <><